Thailand
Koh Samui in May
☀️ Dry seasonHot, humid and often rainy.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics
Why May scores 8.0What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.4
- !Hot (33°C highs / 26°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 25.1°C)
- !Wet: ~132 mm rain, ~3 heavy-rain days
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~4 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline8.0
- ·Normal precautions
| May | Feb | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.0 Very good | 8.3 Very good |
| Season | ☀️ Dry season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 33° / 26° | 29° / 25° |
| Rain | 132 mm | 64 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 25° | dew pt 23° |
| PM2.5 | 4 µg/m³ | 21 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Ko Samui weather-station normals. Rainfall: Ko Samui weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- National Labor Day 1–4 May · 4 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Visakha Bucha (20 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Koh SamuiEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyThailand's second-largest island, in the Gulf of Thailand, visited for beaches, resorts, temples and boat trips to the Ang Thong marine park.
Rocket Festival (Bun Bang Fai)Across Thailand
Villages launch homemade rockets to summon rain for the rice season.
Coming up later
Loy KrathongDate variesThai lunar calendar, usually November
People float candlelit offerings on the water.
Why go: It falls in the rainy season on Samui.
Where: Beaches and temples
SongkranEvery year13-15 April every year
Thai New Year, celebrated with water fights in the streets.
Why go: Expect to get soaked; keep phones in waterproof bags.
Where: Island-wide, especially Chaweng
Chaweng Beach
The island's busiest beach, with resorts and nightlife.
Lamai Beach
A long beach south of Chaweng, slightly quieter.
Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)
A large golden seated Buddha on a small island linked by causeway.
💡 Cover shoulders and knees.
Ang Thong National Marine Parkgreat in May
An archipelago of limestone islands reached by day-trip boat.
💡 Boat trips may be cancelled in rough weather, mostly in the late-year rainy season.
Fisherman's Village, Bophut
Old wooden shophouses with a Friday night walking street market.
Hin Ta and Hin Yai
Rock formations at Lamai known as Grandfather and Grandmother rocks.
Seafood
Grilled fish, prawns and squid.
💡 Beachfront restaurants and night markets
Southern Thai curries
Spicy dishes such as kaeng som and kaeng tai pla.
💡 Local Thai restaurants
Coconut-based dishes and drinks
Samui has long been known for its coconut plantations.
💡 Markets and stalls
Khanom jeen
Fermented rice noodles with curry sauces.
💡 Local markets
Coconut products
Coconut oil and coconut-based beauty products.
💡 Markets and shops
Thai silk and textiles
Scarves and clothing.
💡 Fisherman's Village and shops
Thai handicrafts
Wood carvings and homeware.
💡 Walking street markets